FOUNDED in 1947, Coniston Mountain Rescue Team, was the first team of its kind in the UK and currently has more than 30 highly trained volunteers, turning out in all weathers, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year when required. Coniston, a small working Lakeland village of approximately 1,000 people, has a range of attractive mountains as a backdrop, including Coniston Old Man, Dow Crag and Wetherlam. Dow Crag is one of the largest rock massifs in the Lake District, and this, together with the mountains, the old slate and copper mines and Grizedale Forest attracts many walkers, climbers and cyclists to the area. The team were called out to 52 incidents during 2019, 75% of which were to injured, lost or ill walkers, climbers and cyclists. The total number of volunteering hours by the team exceeded 1,000 excluding the training and admin required to run Coniston MRT. The team’s base, built in 1982 with private and commercial donations, requires additional room and space for the ever-increasing equipment required. Fundraising is underway for improvements.